Being Vegan, Vegan Being : Tim Hellman – Wake Up and Make the Change!

My name is Timothy Hellman. I was born and raised in Albany, Oregon, and I currently live there now too (after living in Corvallis for decades). I work at Hewlett Packard (in Corvallis), but my passions are film, filmmaking, and (now) animal rights activism. I’ve made multiple independent films (on pretty much no budget), and I also make weekly YouTube videos, and write film reviews (under my film company TA Entertainment). Now I’m really getting into photography as well (especially animal rights activism pictures, as well as vegan food and animal pics).

What was the moment you realize that you wanted to go vegan?

I decided to go vegetarian first, at New Years of 2016, and then I later decided to go full vegan, on my birthday (in late April) four months later. My main influence for doing so was an indie actress, named Cortney Palm (who goes by ‘Vegan Actress’ on social media). I had reviewed one of her films, which she helped me promote (by sharing it on her social media), so it got a lot of views. Then I followed all of her posts on social media, in which she constantly promotes veganism, and it’s an argument I hadn’t really heard prior to that (because I hadn’t known any vegans before that, or been exposed to them).

How long have you been Vegan?

Almost 2 years now.

Why is being Vegan important to you?

Animal rights is the most important factor in why veganism is so important to me (health and environmentalism are just two added benefits after that really, for me).

Any recommended Vegan books?

I haven’t read any full vegan books yet, but (being a huge film fan) I’ve seen several vegan documentaries now. My favorite being ‘EARTHLINGS’. ‘OKJA’ is also my favorite vegan movie overall (it’s obviously not a documentary though).

Do you actively promote veganism? How? Please share any stories you would like.

Lately I’ve been participating in multiple animal rights demonstrations (and protests) every week; like the Cube of Truth, Oregon Zoo protests and the Save Movement vigils. I take a lot of pictures of these events and post them to my social media pages as well.

What is your favorite Vegan meme?

“One day the absurdity of the almost universal human belief in the slavery of other animals will be palpable. We shall then have discovered our souls and become worthier of sharing this planet with them”. – Martin Luther King Jr.

What is the vegan stereotype you hear the most and how do you respond to it?

Vegans are so vocal about being vegan. If you’re not vocal about being vegan than you’re not serious about veganism.

What’s your favorite Vegan restaurant?

My current favorite Vegan restaurant is probably The Space (in Salem, OR). I also really like The Cornbread Café (in Eugene, OR), and Veggie Grill, Next Level Burger, Off the Griddle, and the Bye and Bye (and many others), in Portland, OR.

“So many people are waking up and making the change. It’s instrumental to our health, to the environment and of course we don’t need to slay animals of their souls to eat them when we can thrive without them!” – Cortney Palm.

What does living cruelty-free mean to you?

Doing the best I can to not participate in the cruelty of animals; most obviously by not eating, wearing or purchasing anything which contains animal products.

What are you favorite Vegan non-food products or companies?

The Space Concert Club (in Salem, OR), Herbivore Clothing.
What is the toughest Vegan item to find that you need?

‘EARTHLINGS’ on DVD.

Talk about a time when you struggled with your Veganism?

For the first year or more, that I was vegan, I didn’t really know any other vegans personally, so I was attacked pretty relentlessly online (and sometimes in person) for my beliefs. That was pretty hard, and it got so much easier once I met other like-minded people.